Posse Program

Donate to The Posse Program

In partnership with the national Posse Foundation, UW-Madison identifies public high school students from Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and New York City who have extraordinary academic and leadership potential and who may be overlooked by the traditional college selection process.

In addition, UW-Madison works with the Posse Foundation to extend an opportunity for these students to pursue personal achievement and academic excellence by placing them in supportive, multi-cultural teams, “posses,” of ten students. UW-Madison is the only Posse institution to partner with four member metropolitan school districts, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and New York City.

The concept of a posse or team-approach works for both students and college campuses, and is rooted in the belief that a small, diverse group of talented students, “a posse”, carefully selected and trained, can serve as a catalyst for increased individual and community development. As the United States becomes an increasingly multi–cultural society, UW-Madison’s Posse Program believes leaders in this new century should reflect the country’s rich demographic mix. Furthermore, the key to a promising future for our nation rests on the ability of strong leaders from diverse backgrounds to develop democratic solutions to complex social problems. One of the primary aims of the Posse Program is to train the leaders of tomorrow, today, at UW-Madison.

Gifts to the Posse Fund, which supports Posse student scholarships can benefit those leaders of tomorrow. Gifts may be named in honor of donors or their loved ones. Endowment gifts, also named, are encouraged to help ensure the long-term viability of the program. Gifts at this level provide support for a scholarship in perpetuity, and allow generations of students to realize their educational goals.